New York SPORTIMES Name Fritz Buehning Coach for 2011 WTT Season

April 29, 2011 - PRLog -- The New York SPORTIMES of the World TeamTennis (WTT) Pro League presented by GEICO today announced the selection of Fritz Buehning, currently an Assistant Academy Director at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy and a Master Tennis Professional at Sportime Randall’s Island, as their head coach for the 2011 season. During the upcoming WTT season, Buehning will be coaching the Sportimes’ 2011 lineup, which includes former World #1s John McEnroe, Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis, along with returning team members Robert Kendrick and Jesse Witten and newcomer Katie O’Brien.

“Fritz is going to be an outstanding asset to our team this season” said Claude Okin, CEO of Sportime Clubs and NY Sportimes. “With his success on the ATP tour during the 80s, his WTT playing experience and his great energy and attitude, Fritz has the knowledge and experience to lead us back to the WTT playoffs and to help us win the King Trophy. And Fritz is an every day member of our Sportime family at Randall’s Island and at the McEnroe Academy.”

Fritz, a New Jersey native, had a long and distinguished tennis career; from top junior to successful ATP Tour Professional, achieving a career high ranking of #21 in singles and #4 in doubles before suffering a career-ending foot injury at the age of 25.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to be a part of World TeamTennis once again and especially to coach my hometown team and my old friend and colleague Johnny Mac,” said Buehning.”.

During his professional career from 1979-1985, Buehning won one ATP singles title and was a finalist in two other ATP Tour events, posting victories over top 10 players including Pat Cash, Vitas Gerulaitis, Brad Gilbert, Andres Gomez, Johan Kriek, and Mats Wilander. As a doubles player, Fritz won 12 ATP titles and was a finalist in 15 other ATP events. In 1983, Fritz was the US Open doubles runnerup with partner Van Winitsky, losing to John McEnroe and Peter Fleming. Fritz was a top 50 USTA nationally ranked junior from the age of 10, and was the #1 ranked USTA junior in the 18s. As a college sophomore, Fritz led UCLA to the 1979 NCAA Team Championship, playing #1 singles and #1 doubles. He was the 1979 Pac10 Tennis Player of the Year and an All American. He has over 20 years experience teaching tennis as an accredited USPTR Professional (1995), ATP Tour Teaching Professional (1995), and European Registry Professional Coach (2000). Fritz played in the World TeamTennis Pro League in 1981 for the Oakland Breakers and was teammates with both Billie Jean King (WTT Co-Founder) and Ilana Kloss (WTT CEO/Commissioner).

In 2011, the NY Sportimes feature a Season of #1s, with each home match featuring at least one former World #1.

Tickets for SPORTIME matches are available by calling 888‐WTT‐NYC1 or by visiting www.nysportimes.com.  For more information on matches in Albany, visit www.NYSportimes.com/Albany or call 518‐378‐2899.  

2011 Sportimes’ partners include host sponsor USTA Eastern Section, SPORTIME Clubs, ACURA, GEICO, Principal Funds, Smith and Nephew, UBS, Metal Building Restoration, Arizon Structures, Queens Children’s Transportation, Lazer Aptheker Rosella and Yedid, PC, Zurita Architects and Tamir Kfir Orthopedics.

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The World TeamTennis N.Y. Sportimes compete at the new Sportime tennis facility on Randall's Island in Manhattan, in July. Visit http://www.nysportimes.com for more info.